Exploring Changes in Matter

In this lab we conducted an experiment about exploring changes in matter. The question in which we were trying to answer was "Which changes were examples of a chemical change and which were examples of a physical change."  A physical change is when nothing new is made, things stay the same. In a chemical change, you get something new and different that wasn't there before. During this lab we had five tasks to complete. Each task consisted of adding ingredients together and observing the data to determine if  a chemical or physical change has occurred. The first task we completed was 100g of water mixed with 5g of table salt. The second task was a small wad of copper wire is placed in a crucible and heated. The third task was five drops of sodium hydroxide and five drops of copper(II) nitrate mixed together. The fourth task was adding five drops of hydrochloric acid to 2g of sodium bicarbonate. Then fifth and final task was paraffin wax subjected to heat in a hot water bath. Each task was completed exactly how it was listen to do so in the instructions. We chose to conduct our expirement this way so that we had accurate information. After we conducted our tasks we were able to come up with our evidence and reasonings as to why each task was either a chemical or physical change. We decided that the physical changes occurred with the 100g of water mixed with the 5g of table salt, and the paraffin wax heated in a hot water bath. These were both examples of physical change because our data shows that nothing new was made and our products stayed the same. The chemical changes on the other hand occurred in the following tasks: a small wad of copper wire is placed in a crucible and heated, 5 drops of sodium hydroxide and 5 drops of copper (II) nitrate mixed together and 5 drops of hydrochloric acid added to 2g of sodium bicarbonate. These tasks were all examples of Chemical changes because something new and different was created.. something that wasn't there before. Each of our claims is supported by our data and reasonings. When we mixed the salt and water together in the beaker the water looked foggy but didn't have much change, the salt dissolved (Physical change). After we added the five drops of HCI to the baking soda it bubbled. After each drop was added the baking soda fizzed.. realeasing gas. Next we mixed the five drops of sodium hydroxide and five drops of copper together. The spot plate just turned blue and little spots of white (gel like) formed together. After that was the small wad of copper wire placed in the crucible and heated. When we did that the copper lost its color and turned black/grey. It lost its full copper color and turned all the way grey (chemical change). The last task we completed was the paraffin wax... after the wax was put in the water it changes from solid to liquid & when we took it out it changed from lights to solid. Each observation we made after completing the tasks either supports of reasoning of chemical or physical change.

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